The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is the product of a breeding program carried out by the inventors, Ann E. Lamb, David R. Lilly and Randy L. Allamand. The new cultivar named xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 is the result of a cross made in Apopka, Fla. in November of 1993. The female or seed parent was the cultivar Spathiphyllum xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,145). The male parent was a unique seedling, found among seedling-derived Spathiphyllum xe2x80x98Mauna Loaxe2x80x99, named xe2x80x98Vibrantxe2x80x99 (unpatented), which was selected and maintained by the inventors and used only for breeding purposes.
The new cultivar named xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the inventors from a group of seedlings of the stated cross in Homestead, Fla. on May 16, 1996. Propagation by tissue culture, in Sebring, Fla., under the supervision of the inventors, was used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated the stability of the combination of characteristics as herein described from generation to generation.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 which in combination distinguish this Spathiphyllum as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Plants are large, upright and ideally suited for pot sizes 25 cm or larger;
2.Leaves are dark-green, glossy and leathery with a wavy margin. The leaf blade is broad and textured;
3. Spathes are white, elliptic, cupped and held above the foliage on thick, sturdy peduncles; and
4. Plants are easy to grow and are tolerant of temperature extremes (108xc2x0 F.-52xc2x0 F.) without foliar damage.
xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength, without any change in genotype.
Of the commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, the most similar in comparison to xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 are the parental cultivar xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99 and the cultivar Spathiphyllum xe2x80x98Azizaxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/586,604). In comparison to xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 has pure white flowers while the flowers of xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99 are cream-white in color. Plants of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 are larger than plants of xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99. The leaves of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 are darker-green, wider, shinier and thicker than the leaves of xe2x80x98Lynisexe2x80x99.
In comparison to xe2x80x98Azizaxe2x80x99, the inflorescence of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 is held higher above the foliage than the inflorescence of xe2x80x98Azizaxe2x80x99. The leaves of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 are supple and less rigid than the leaves of xe2x80x98Azizaxe2x80x99. Plants of xe2x80x98Florida Beautyxe2x80x99 produce fewer side branches than plants of xe2x80x98Azizaxe2x80x99.